William Zhang's collection, A Poetic Translation of Chinese Mythology, earnestly fulfills the promise of its title. Weaving legend, folklore, and stories echoed through time with lyrically narrative verse, this tapestry of tales engulfs readers in the ever-expansive world of ancient China, where we witness through words the power of love, the destruction of ego, and the lengths celestial forces have gone to create and protect and preserve those on and of the Earth. From the slaying of dragons to the gathering of sky fragments to the architecture of love-moved magpies, Zhang shepherds us through the intricate landscape of Chinese culture, society, and politics-a testament to their "struggles, aspirations, and values"-coursing beneath magic and myth.
William Zhang's collection, A Poetic Translation of Chinese Mythology, earnestly fulfills the promise of its title. Weaving legend, folklore, and stories echoed through time with lyrically narrative verse, this tapestry of tales engulfs readers in the ever-expansive world of ancient China, where we witness through words the power of love, the destruction of ego, and the lengths celestial forces have gone to create and protect and preserve those on and of the Earth. From the slaying of dragons to the gathering of sky fragments to the architecture of love-moved magpies, Zhang shepherds us through the intricate landscape of Chinese culture, society, and politics-a testament to their "struggles, aspirations, and values"-coursing beneath magic and myth.
